Sex scandals in the Church

[LookingForAnswers]

Because people do not heed the Bible's admonition to run from temptations.  We all want to believe we are strong enough to resist instead of running from the thing that tempts us.  We rely on our own understanding and strength instead of God's wisdom.

[Guest Butero]

 

This is only speculation, but I am trying to place myself in the mind of someone who is a conservative evangelical and a believer in eternal security.  Lets say I am a believer in eternal security and I am tempted with an attractive woman.  I go ahead and cheat, figuring we all sin.  Sin is sin.  Little ones are as bad as big ones.  We are saved by grace, not by following the law.  Sometimes we just give in when we are tempted.  God understands.  On the other hand, if I am an evangelical and I am tempted with an attractive woman, I know that my failures could lead me to hell, but I figure that after I cheat, I will likely have time to confess the sin and make things right with God.  I put it out of my mind that I might not get that chance.  Then there is that in-between group of evangelicals that don't believe in eternal security, but they believe that losing salvation takes time, and one sinful act won't cost them salvation.  They figure they will make things right later on, and that one indiscretion won't cost them their salvation.  It all depends on your perspective, but nearly anyone can come up with excuses to make what they know is wrong ok.

 

If someone's motivation for sin vs. not sin is about saving one's own derriere, this person has a bigger problem than the sin temptation.

 

The question ought not to be, "Will I go to Hell or not?" The question ought to be, "Is this loving towards God to do this?" Likewise, "Is this loving towards my brothers and sisters in Christ to do this?"

 

The person who cares only about their eternal fate is acting very selfishly, and is denying the power of the Cross in their lives to transform them.

 

I know this may come as a shock to you, but not everyone looks at things like you do.  There are many people that are highly motivated by fear of judgment, and that is a healthy fear to have.  You call such individuals selfish.  Have you ever read in Romans about how we have freedom to do all kinds of things, but if it offends our brothers or sisters, we shouldn't do it.  I could argue all the people that do things they know are offensive to others are selfish.  We are not all in the same place, and we are not all motivated by the same things, and while in your mind, not doing something just because of how it effects others might be the ideal, sometimes concern for self is more powerful.  At the time when a man or woman is filled with lust, they aren't thinking about those things.  They are blocking them out on purpose.  They are lying to themselves.  They are trying to convince themselves that what they are about to do is not really any worse than what the next fellow does, and God understands we are human.  They might even compare themselves to King David and his failures. 

[missmuffet]

 

 

This is only speculation, but I am trying to place myself in the mind of someone who is a conservative evangelical and a believer in eternal security.  Lets say I am a believer in eternal security and I am tempted with an attractive woman.  I go ahead and cheat, figuring we all sin.  Sin is sin.  Little ones are as bad as big ones.  We are saved by grace, not by following the law.  Sometimes we just give in when we are tempted.  God understands.  On the other hand, if I am an evangelical and I am tempted with an attractive woman, I know that my failures could lead me to hell, but I figure that after I cheat, I will likely have time to confess the sin and make things right with God.  I put it out of my mind that I might not get that chance.  Then there is that in-between group of evangelicals that don't believe in eternal security, but they believe that losing salvation takes time, and one sinful act won't cost them salvation.  They figure they will make things right later on, and that one indiscretion won't cost them their salvation.  It all depends on your perspective, but nearly anyone can come up with excuses to make what they know is wrong ok.

 

If someone's motivation for sin vs. not sin is about saving one's own derriere, this person has a bigger problem than the sin temptation.

 

The question ought not to be, "Will I go to Hell or not?" The question ought to be, "Is this loving towards God to do this?" Likewise, "Is this loving towards my brothers and sisters in Christ to do this?"

 

The person who cares only about their eternal fate is acting very selfishly, and is denying the power of the Cross in their lives to transform them.

 

I know this may come as a shock to you, but not everyone looks at things like you do.  There are many people that are highly motivated by fear of judgment, and that is a healthy fear to have.  You call such individuals selfish.  Have you ever read in Romans about how we have freedom to do all kinds of things, but if it offends our brothers or sisters, we shouldn't do it.  I could argue all the people that do things they know are offensive to others are selfish.  We are not all in the same place, and we are not all motivated by the same things, and while in your mind, not doing something just because of how it effects others might be the ideal, sometimes concern for self is more powerful.  At the time when a man or woman is filled with lust, they aren't thinking about those things.  They are blocking them out on purpose.  They are lying to themselves.  They are trying to convince themselves that what they are about to do is not really any worse than what the next fellow does, and God understands we are human.  They might even compare themselves to King David and his failures. 

 

If that is your statement then you are not walking away from God you are running.........

[Guest Butero]

 

 

 

This is only speculation, but I am trying to place myself in the mind of someone who is a conservative evangelical and a believer in eternal security.  Lets say I am a believer in eternal security and I am tempted with an attractive woman.  I go ahead and cheat, figuring we all sin.  Sin is sin.  Little ones are as bad as big ones.  We are saved by grace, not by following the law.  Sometimes we just give in when we are tempted.  God understands.  On the other hand, if I am an evangelical and I am tempted with an attractive woman, I know that my failures could lead me to hell, but I figure that after I cheat, I will likely have time to confess the sin and make things right with God.  I put it out of my mind that I might not get that chance.  Then there is that in-between group of evangelicals that don't believe in eternal security, but they believe that losing salvation takes time, and one sinful act won't cost them salvation.  They figure they will make things right later on, and that one indiscretion won't cost them their salvation.  It all depends on your perspective, but nearly anyone can come up with excuses to make what they know is wrong ok.

 

If someone's motivation for sin vs. not sin is about saving one's own derriere, this person has a bigger problem than the sin temptation.

 

The question ought not to be, "Will I go to Hell or not?" The question ought to be, "Is this loving towards God to do this?" Likewise, "Is this loving towards my brothers and sisters in Christ to do this?"

 

The person who cares only about their eternal fate is acting very selfishly, and is denying the power of the Cross in their lives to transform them.

 

I know this may come as a shock to you, but not everyone looks at things like you do.  There are many people that are highly motivated by fear of judgment, and that is a healthy fear to have.  You call such individuals selfish.  Have you ever read in Romans about how we have freedom to do all kinds of things, but if it offends our brothers or sisters, we shouldn't do it.  I could argue all the people that do things they know are offensive to others are selfish.  We are not all in the same place, and we are not all motivated by the same things, and while in your mind, not doing something just because of how it effects others might be the ideal, sometimes concern for self is more powerful.  At the time when a man or woman is filled with lust, they aren't thinking about those things.  They are blocking them out on purpose.  They are lying to themselves.  They are trying to convince themselves that what they are about to do is not really any worse than what the next fellow does, and God understands we are human.  They might even compare themselves to King David and his failures. 

 

If that is your statement then you are not walking away from God you are running.........

 

You would be surprised how many people I have encountered over the years that excuse sin just like that.  I have been in church for many years, and I have encountered all kinds of people.  I was even in a position at a ministry that had a sex scandal take place.  I wasn't involved in the scandal, but I was close to people that were.  You would be surprised how many times I heard about the failures of King David, and how he was still mentioned as a "man after God's own heart." 

[Guest shiloh357]

Why is this such a huge problem, especially among those who preach against premarital sex, adultery, etc., the most?

 

‘Survivor’ Bloggers Join Forces to Reveal Christian Fundamentalist Abuses

There are a myriad of reasons depending on the situation.

 

In my Church we don't allow any kind of cross-gender ministry.  Women counsel women. Men counsel men. We maintain separate men aind women's ministries.

 

The ministry team of Billy Graham Evangelistic Ministries, when they first started out in the 1940's, made a pact with one another and God that they would not be alone with a woman other than their wives.   Billy Graham, Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson kept that pact their entire lives.  Billy Graham would not even stand in an elevator alone with a woman. 

 

You don't have that kind of integrity anymore in minsistry these days, it seems.

[missmuffet]

 

Why is this such a huge problem, especially among those who preach against premarital sex, adultery, etc., the most?

 

‘Survivor’ Bloggers Join Forces to Reveal Christian Fundamentalist Abuses

There are a myriad of reasons depending on the situation.

 

In my Church we don't allow any kind of cross-gender ministry.  Women counsel women. Men counsel men. We maintain separate men aind women's ministries.

 

The ministry team of Billy Graham Evangelistic Ministries, when they first started out in the 1940's, made a pact with one another and God that they would not be alone with a woman other than their wives.   Billy Graham, Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson kept that pact their entire lives.  Billy Graham would not even stand in an elevator alone with a woman. 

 

You don't have that kind of integrity anymore in minsistry these days, it seems.

 

I think that is great.I have read this on line about Billy Graham and his team and their pact with women.Yes,it is unheard of today.

[JohnD]

Because Satan is in our Churches.

 

That is one of the most intelligent and truthful responses I have seen anywhere in a very long time!

 

Thank you for blessing me. I have been really discouraged that the whole world is blind to this simple fact.

 

And this is why I am (true to my mission statement under my avatar) trying to get the Church back to the Hebrew Roots (by way of back to the Bible as the authority).

[missmuffet]

 

Because Satan is in our Churches.

 

That is one of the most intelligent and truthful responses I have seen anywhere in a very long time!

 

Thank you for blessing me. I have been really discouraged that the whole world is blind to this simple fact.

 

And this is why I am (true to my mission statement under my avatar) trying to get the Church back to the Hebrew Roots (by way of back to the Bible as the authority).

 

That is quite a task for one man.I can not see it happening until our Lord returns,

[JohnD]

I once heard the late Dr. J. Vernon McGee state that the day Constantine "legalized" Christianity was the day the devil joined the Church. I was unable to record it, looked for it everywhere, but was unable to find it.

[JohnD]

 

 

Because Satan is in our Churches.

 

That is one of the most intelligent and truthful responses I have seen anywhere in a very long time!

 

Thank you for blessing me. I have been really discouraged that the whole world is blind to this simple fact.

 

And this is why I am (true to my mission statement under my avatar) trying to get the Church back to the Hebrew Roots (by way of back to the Bible as the authority).

 

That is quite a task for one man.I can not see it happening until our Lord returns,

 

 

It's not just one man. But even if... it's actually God doing it through one man whoever that man or woman may be. I'm not saying he is through me, it's just a strong desire I have to try.